Door latch



Feb. 15, E938. G, R, ADAMS 2,108,326

DOOR LATCH Filed NOV. ll, 1936 @i da Patented Feb. 15, 1938 .UNITEDsmrss Msi oies 3 Claims.

My invention relates to door latches and has for its principal object togenerally improve upon and simplify the construction of the existingforms of door latches and to provide a relatively simple, practical andinexpensive latch that may be easily and quickly installed and which hascertain adjustments in order that the latch ,mayl be maintained inproper operative condition, even though the door or door casing withwhich the latch is associated should shrink after the latch has beeninstalled, and said latch having another adjustment that renders itapplicable for use in connection with doors of different weights. Y

With the foregoing and other objects in view my invention consists incertain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts thatwill be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. l is a vertical section takenthrough portions of a door and-door casing and showing my improved latchassociated therewith.

` Fig.V 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is .an enlarged elevational view of the vend portion of the latchhousing.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail View of a portion of the housing.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates apreferred embodiment of my invention, I0 designates a door jamb orcasing, Il the door and I2 the door stop.

Set flush in the edge of door II and suitably secured thereto,preferably by means of screws I3, is a striking plate it, provided witha centrally arranged vertically disposed recess l5.

Set flush in the door jamb or casing II) directly opposite the faceplate I4 is a plate I6 that is secured to the jamb by screws Il or likefastening devices and formed integral with the central portion of thisplate Iii is a rearwardly projecting circular flange I8 that isinternally threaded.

This flange I3 projects into a bore or chamber I9 that is formed in jambI and seated in the threaded flange is the externally threaded portionof a short tubular housing 20 that occupies the bore or recess I9. Theouter end of this tubular housing 2G is provided with an inwardly curvedlip 2I which serves to retain within said housing a ball 22. A portionof this ball projects a short distance beyond the end of the tubularhousing 2B, and said projecting portion is adapted to engage in thedepression i5 in face plate it to hold the door in closed position.

Formed in flange i8 and extending approximately half way around the sameis narrow slot 23, thus providing on said iiange a narrow strip or bandof metal 2li that is .approximately 186 in length. The inner face ofthis band is threaded for engagement with the threaded exterior of'tubular housing 20, and at the center of said strip or band a narrowportion thereof is indented, as designated by 25, and said indentedportion is adapted to occupy a longitudinally disposed groove Zt that isformed in the outer threaded surface of tubular housing 2t.

As a result of the arrangement just described, housing 2t may be screwedfor a limited distance through the internally threaded flange I8 ofplate I6 and at the end of each complete rotation of the housing theindented portion 25 of the band 2li will drop into the groove 2t to holdsaid housing against further rotation or until suflicient rotary forceis applied to the housing to overcome the pressure exerted by the narrowband 2t and cause the depressed portion Z5 to ride out of the groove 26.

As .a result of this adjustment of the tubular housing in plate It, saidhousing may be moved inward or outward so as to correctly position theprojecting portion of the ball 22 with respect to the depression inplate i4, and such adjustment being necessary to maintain the latch inproper operative condition even though the door and casing becomeseparated due to shrinkage.

The rear portion of tubular housing 2i) is internally threaded, asdesignated by 2l, and screw seated in said threaded portion is a plate2B, having a slot Z9 for the reception of a point of a screw-driver orlike tool that is used in screwing the plate into or out of the housing.

Interposed between the plate 23 and the ball 22 is an expansive coilspring Sil, which normally forces the ball to its limit of movementagainst the curved lip 2i, and yieldingly resists inward movement ofsaid ball. The plate 23 may be adjusted inwardly or outwardly to varythe tension of the spring 3i) and thereby rendering the latch applicablefor use with doors of different weights.

The depression I5 that extends vertically of the striking plate hasgreater length than the diameter of the ball 22 so that said depressionwill receive the ball when the door is closed, even though the doorshould sag slightly on its hinges.

When the door is closed one edge of the striking plate i4, and whichedge is curved or inclined Cil slightly, as designated by ld, strikesthe projecting portion of ball 22 and said ball is forced inwardlyagainst the resistance offered by spring S. When the door reaches itsfully closed position the projecting portion of the ball 22 enters thedepression i5 in the striking plate, thereby holding the door closed.

To open the door itis only necessary to pull the same away from the stopI2 with sufficient force to press the ball l2 rearwardly into thehousing 23.

My improved latch, while especially applicable for doors between therooms in a residence or building, may be advantageously employed as alatch for the relatively small doors of cupboards, medicine cabinets andthe like.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a door latch that isrelatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and veryeffective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

The different parts of the latch may be easily and quickly adjusted soas to take care of doors of different weights and so as to maintain thelatch in proper operative condition, .even though the door shrinks awayfrom the jamb or casing.

In order to facilitate the screwing of the tubular housing 2B throughthe flange I8 of plate I6, the end of the said housing 2U that projectsthrough said plate is notched at diametrically.

opposite points, as designated by Zia., and these notches may receivethe end of a Spanner wrench or like tool utilized in rotating thehousing.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form andconstruction of the various parts of my improved latch may be made andsubstituted for those herein shown and described without departing fromthe spirit of the invention, the scope of which is set forth in theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a door latch, a plate adapted to be secured to a door jamb, saidplate having an opening, an internally threaded flange surrounding saidopening and projecting from said plate, a

housing screw seated in said flange so as to be screwed in oppositedirections through the opening in said plate, a spring-pressed ballwithin said housing, said flange being provided with a slot that extendspartially around its circumference to form a narrow band, a portion ofwhich band is indented, and that portion of the housing that is screwseated in said flange being provided with a longitudinally disposedgroove that is adapted to receive the indented portion of said band.

2. In a door latch, a plate adapted to be secured to a door jamb, saidplate having an opening, an internally threaded ilange surrounding saidopening and projecting from said plate, a housing screw seated in saidflange so as to be screwed in opposite directions through the opening insaid plate, a spring-pressed ball within said housing, said flange beingprovided with a slot that extends partially around its circumference toform a narrow band, a portion of which band is indented, that portion ofthe housing that is screw seated in said flange being provided with alongitudinally disposed groove that is adapted to receive the indentedportion of said band, and means for varying the tension of the springthat engages said ball.

3. In a door latch, a plate adapted to be secured to a door jam, saidplate being provided with an opening, a ilange formed integral with saidplate around the opening therein, said ange being internally threaded, atubular housing having an externally threaded portion that isscrew-seated in said internally threaded flange, the outer end of saidhousing terminating in an inturned lip, a ball loosely arranged withinthe housing and normally bearing against said lip, a spring within saidhousing and bearing against the rear side of said ball, said inturnedlip being notched for the reception of a tool used for screwing thehousing through the internally threaded flange, said ilange beingprovided with a circumferential slot to form a narrow band, said bandprovided with a transversely disposed indentation, the threaded portionof the tubular housing being provided with a longitudinally disposedgroove that is adapted to receive the indented portion of said band, aplate adapted to be secured to the door that closes against said jamband said last-mentioned plate having a depression for the reception ofthe projecting portion of said ball.

GEORGE R. ADAMS.

